Springs-cleanup plan must wait until next year

May 9, 2014|Aaron Deslatte, Capitol View

TALLAHASSEE — In an election year dedicated to populist measures and campaign optics, new government regulations for cleaning up Florida's threatened natural springs were never going to get with the political program.

That was telegraphed before the Legislature dropped the opening gavel on the 60-day session that wrapped up May 2. Still, a cadre of environmental groups and mostly Republican lawmakers ground away on a comprehensive proposal to reverse Florida's degradation of its natural springs through overconsumption and diminishment of water quality.

When interest groups balked, lawmakers stripped out $378 million from real-estate taxes that would have gone annually toward that cleanup.

They rationalized that concession because of Amendment 1, a constitutional question before voters in November that could pump $19 billion in the next two decades into conservation projects, including buying land and cleaning up polluted waterways.

Nonetheless, the Senate passed its bill unanimously in the final week but left the House little time to digest it.

The failure is the result of the nature of environmental regulation: Unless the regulated can be delivered some sort of offsetting gain from the transaction, the politics of environmental cleanup creates winners and losers. Losers are often left better off by not cooperating.

In this case, cities and counties; gated-community developers; agriculture; and the entire business lobby were galvanized against even a scaled-back version of the bill forcing locals to develop and abide by "basin action plans." Those would have eventually necessitated the reduction of pollution flowing into the state's most imperiled springs.

Although no price tags were attached to the bill, interest-group lobbyists all called it an "unfunded mandate," the clearest way to cause trouble for legislation in Tallahassee.

Supporters were left with an oft-repeated refrain after their yearlong endeavor ended poorly: Wait until next year.

"Springs and water policy in general is a matter that will be given high priority," said Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, one of the bill's sponsors. "Things like this sometimes take more than one year."

This year, the thought of imposing sweeping regulatory goals for reducing phosphorus loading into spring sheds can't compete with the opportunities arising from pumping tens of millions of dollars into water cleanup in and around Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades.

Senate budget chief Joe Negron, R-Stuart, wanted to deliver $160 million-plus to Lake O and the polluted rivers around his South Florida district.

"Mission accomplished," he declared.

Incoming House Speaker Steve Crisafulli wanted to steer $10 million into muck cleanup in the Brevard County end of the Indian River Lagoon — and he wound up scoring $20 million to start removing more than 6 million cubic yards of muck from the lagoon and the Eau Gallie River, along with more money for oyster-bed restoration.

Gov. Rick Scott wanted $55 million for springs, and lawmakers gave him $35 million.

Incoming Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said he and Crisafulli have given notice to the development industry, agriculture, local governments and environmental groups that they would tackle springs-cleanup policies on their watches.

"For us, that bill's the starting point," Gardiner said.

Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said the final day of session he was "committed to working on water policy over the next two years."

Here's hoping the springs will be patient enough to wait for Florida's political currents to align.